It Came From Within
by Nightmare Generator
Summary: We all have are own inner demons. Its now time for Zuko to face his very own. /hints of Zutara/


**A/N: **This is just an idea I've had for awhile now and I decided it was time to post it. This takes place after Zuko becomes Fire Lord.

**PS: **Has a hint of Zutara if you squint.  


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Zuko tossed and turned in his sleep as he tried to find the perfect spot. The blankets soon tangled around him, keeping him bound. But soon he stopped struggling and fell to a deeper sleep.

_Within the dream…_Zuko found himself in a dark realm that was nearly concealed in shadows with very little light that was visible.

"What is this place?" Zuko asked as he stepped deeper into the shadows.

"This place, is the dark part of your heart." A voice said from the darkness.

Zuko stopped. That voice, it sounded just like his but with a darker tone to it.

"Whose there?" Zuko demanded

Some dark laughter could be heard. But than a figure stepped fourth.

Zuko's eyes widened as he came face to face with himself. He looked exactly the same except for the fact that this Zuko had on the Fire Nation armor he used to wear( just think of the season one version of Zuko) and had his head shaved completely(except for the pony tail).

"What! How is this possible?" Zuko demanded as his counterpart only smirked at his confusion.

"Where do you think all that hatred and anger went after you joined the Avatar and chose a different path? Do you think it just simply disappeared? Never to be heard from again?" Zuko's counterpart said as he took a few steps forward.

"So is that what you really are? Just my anger and hatred that's always been bottled up?"

"Please, I'm much more than that. But that's not important right now. What is important is the fact that you dishonored what your nation and family stood for." The alter ego spat venomously.

"ENOUGH!"

The alter ego glared at Zuko with intense hatred for his interruption, his scared eye looking more fierce.

"If all your going to do is just go on about my honor or some other type of trash like that you might as well just leave now because I'm not listening!" Zuko said through gritted teeth.

"Very well then, I'll just get to the point of why I'm here. You now have the power to fix all your past mistakes and rule over all the other inferior nations like it should be. You can now have the respect that you rightfully deserve!" The alter ego Zuko finished with a look of pure greed.

"Look, I'm not like that anymore and I never will be again." Zuko said as he clenched his fists." I've changed my ways and I'm never going to be you again either."

"No matter, once I get rid of you I'll take control of this body and put it to better use!"

The alter ego threw a fist full of fire directly Zuko's head. Quickly thinking Zuko was able to deflect the fire to another direction. But before Zuko could breath he found himself blocking a continuous on slot of flames, each one stronger than the last. They were coming so close together Zuko couldn't get any of his own hits in. Than the alter ego threw a huge ball of fire that sent Zuko flying back through the dark abyss.

Zuko could feel the burns on his arms and legs as he begun to get up but before Zuko could get off the ground a great force was brought down hard on his back, pinning him to the floor. Zuko turned his head slightly to see that the dark Zuko was the one keeping him pinned down with his foot.

"Look at you, weak as always. No wonder father banished you from the palace." The alter ego said with hatred.

"I'll show you whose the weak one!"

Zuko than forced himself up and blasted a stream of fire toward his enemy. The ego canceled out this fire attack with ease as he backed away from Zuko.

Zuko launched himself at the alter ego with an on slot of his own attacks, each one with a fierce intention to kill. The ego dodged and deflected everything attack with ease. Zuko moved faster and faster trying to kill the alter ego but was angered that everything he threw at him was not strong enough.

"Only one of us is going to be waking up with this body and its going to be ME!" The evil double yelled as he charged fourth.

The double rushed forward and graphed Zuko's arm with a crushing force. Zuko almost winced at how powerful his doubles grip was. Zuko tried to break free but before he could his double landed a flaming fist right in to his stomach.

The force of the blow sent Zuko flying back and colliding with an invisible wall that he slid down. He clenched his teeth tight as he held back a howl of pain from the burning blow to his stomach.

"Like I said before, weak and pathetic." Zuko's dark counter said darkly.

"Now time to get rid of you." The dark Zuko then snapped his figures.

Zuko felt as if he was sinking in to the floor. He then looked down to discover to his horror that he was. The floor had become a black pool of muck, the darkness of the pool soon restrained all his limbs and slowly begun to pull him in. But Zuko still struggled to break free only to learn it was no use, he had lost.

"This can't be happening! It can't end this way!" Zuko said franticly.

"Look at it this way, once your gone all the strength and power that you wasted will be put to the better cause of killing the Avatar." The dark Zuko then laughed as he looked at the shocked face of his counterpart.

"No."

"No!"

"Noooooooooooo!"

"Zuko wake up!"

Zuko's eyes snapped open as he bolted up from his bed in a cold sweat.

"Where is he!?" Zuko demanded as he scanned the entire room to discover that it was already morning.

"Where's who?" Katara asked.

"Nothing, it was only a dream." Zuko said as he tried to control his breathing.

"Are you sure your okay?" Katara asked not believing him.

"Yes I'm fine, and not to be rood or anything but why are you in my room?"

"Well I was walking down the hall when I heard you screaming."

"I was not screaming!" Zuko said as his face turned red with embarrassment.

"Fine then Mr. big and tough Fire Lord I heard you making 'loud noises' and came to check if everything was okay."

"Yeah it was just a dream." Zuko replied.

"Well okay then, I'll just be going off to get something to eat. Want to come with?" Katara asked.

"Sure lets go." Zuko said as he followed Katara.

_  
Pathetic_

_  
_"What?" Zuko said as he looked around the room for the source of the voice only to find nothing around.

"Zuko are you coming or what?" Katara said from outside the room.

"Coming!" Zuko said as he left the room.

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**A/N2: **Well there it is folks I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Even though this is meant to be a one shot I wont mark it as complete just in case I feel like continuing it.

**Please review and tell me what you thought.**


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